1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fiber containing an eggshell membrane component, a fiber assembly, and a fiber producing method.
2. Description of Related Art
It has been known that an eggshell membrane can be effectively used as a wound dressing. It is because the eggshell membrane has cell-producing action of amino acid, adherence to texture due to a network structure thereof, appropriate moisture retention, air permeability and the like, which are suitable for the wound dressing. However, since an extractable eggshell membrane varies in size depending on egg size and is not flattened in shape, adjustment of the extractable eggshell membrane to the shape of a wound portion has been difficult. Accordingly, it has been desired to industrially obtain a sheet-like or a film-like dressing consisting of or containing an eggshell membrane component.
Therefore, a technique in which the eggshell membrane is dissolved in thiopropionic acid and the like to produce a film-like or a sheet-like eggshell membrane has been disclosed (for example, see Document 1: JP-A-06-192443 and Document 2: JP-A-06-254149). Further, a method in which a fiber treatment agent is formed from an eggshell membrane powder so as to produce a fabric has been disclosed (for example, see Document 3: JP-A-2005-194663).
However, the film or the sheet disclosed in Documents 1 and 2 does not have a network structure of a natural eggshell membrane. Also, its moisture retention and air permeability, and adherence to texture are not sufficient for using the film or the sheet as the wound dressing or a cosmetic sheet. Further, the fiber treatment agent disclosed in Document 3 does not have enough quality to imitate a structure of the eggshell membrane and a content of the eggshell membrane cannot be easily raised.